TALLAHASSEE, Fla., June 24 (UPI) -- There is no clear path for oil from the Deepwater Horizon spill in the Gulf of Mexico to enter the loop current and threaten Florida, NOAA officials said.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced it stopped producing a daily trajectory map of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill because of a change in ocean currents.
The Florida Keys tourism council points to statements by Billy Causey, southeast regional director for the National Marine Sanctuary Program of NOAA, who said the loop current has been "pinched off," suggesting there is no longer a clear path for the spill to enter the loop current.
Environmental scientists expressed concern that the loop current could push the oil spill east toward Florida and possibly up the eastern U.S. coast.
The Deepwater Horizon Unified Command said this week that it saw no near-term risk for the Florida region, however.
"The near-term risk for the Florida Peninsula and Keys continues to remain low," a command statement read.
NOAA officials said it was unclear how long the ocean currents would last, noting it would update trajectory maps daily if necessary in the future.
Any petroleum products from the oil spill could appear in the form of tar balls in the Florida region. U.S. Coast Guard officials said weathered oil products seen in the area weren't from the Deepwater Horizon disaster.
